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Niseishi/Nijushiho [Video Bunkai]

Hi guys, its been a while since the Wanshu/Empi videos, but here’s something I hope you’ll enjoy. I hope the videos and accompanying text do enough to explain the relatively simple strategy being employed in this excellent and robust kata.

Solo Form

1a Oyo (Otoshi uke, hikite)

Primary pre-emptively strikes with a double palm strike, immediately securing a double collar tie. Primary then pulls secondaries head downwards and transitions into single collar tie and inverted C-grip choke. Drag takedown and finish if necessary.
- Knees to the groin can be used to make the secondary bend over, or as finishing moves in their own right

2a Oyo (Otoshi uke, gyaku zuki, hikite, yoko empi)

Secondary has resisted drag takedown (1a) by pulling up and back. Primary seizes secondaries leg and follows with an elbow spike or forearm press to takedown.
- Style variation has extra heel flick to sweep secondaries leg, if near leg was seized

2b, 2c Oyo (Otoshi uke, gyaku zuki, hikite, yoko empi)

Secondary has resisted drag takedown (1a) by seizing primaries wrist. Primary reaches under with their C-grip arm and seizes their own wrist, transitioning into a juji uke choke. Alternatively, after secondary has resisted drag takedown (1a) by seizing primaries wrist, the primary thrusts deep across the secondaries neck with a C-grip arm, using their other arm to apply a pumphandle guillotine.

3a Oyo (Mawate, awase zuki)

Secondary has resisted drag takedown (1a) by seizing primaries wrist. Primary reverses wrist grab by circling the arm outwards and sliding to the side, subsequently striking the secondaries head with seiken or teisho.

3b Oyo (Mawate, awase zuki)

If the takedown (as seen in 2a) is successful, the primary simultaneously turns and steps over the secondaries leg, clinching it between their knees. From this position, a toe hold ankle dislocation can be utilised.
- If the primary is stepping outside to inside, a stamp to the groin can be utilised.

3c Henka (Mawate, awase zuki)

If the takedown (as seen in 2a) is successful, the primary simultaneously turns and steps over the secondaries leg, bringing their knees together to create a fulcrum just above secondaries knee. From this position, a standing knee bar can be utilised.
- Knee bar variations include sitting on the knee or dropping to perform a lying knee bar.

4a Oyo (Hasami uke, hiza gamae, kakiwake uke)

The secondary has launched an attack. The primary drives forward with a crash helmet and knee raise as a flinch response, immediately seizing the double collar tie.
- From there they may utilise knee strikes, or flow into other techniques (such as 1a)

5a Oyo (Age uke, age empi, shuto uke, yoko geri, kagi zuki)

The secondary has resisted the drag takedown (1a) by seizing the primary in a single collar tie. The primary presses up on secondaries elbow and seizes the wrist with their other hand. They then attack with a rising empi to the elbow joint, step shuto uke to bar the neck and arm, yoko-geri to knee to lower the secondary and finally kagi-zuki to the head or collarbone.
- Other shuto uke methods may be used such as barring the arm across the shoulders.

5b Oyo (Age uke, age empi, shuto uke, yoko geri, kagi zuki)

The secondary has resisted the drag takedown (1a) by seizing the primary in a double collar tie. The primary presses on the secondaries face and wedges in a forearm brace with their other arm. They then attack with an empi to the face or chest, slide to the side into shuto uke to create space, yoko-geri to the knee and finally kagi-zuki to head.

6a Oyo (Kake uke, teisho awase zuki)

The secondary has resisted the drag takedown (1a) by seizing the primaries wrist (cross hand or with two hands). The primary reverses the wrist grab with kake uke while sliding to the side and utilises seiken or teisho strikes to the head.

7a Oyo (Haito uchi, haishu age uchi, koko kuzushi, awase zuki)

The primary has seized the secondaries wrist cross hand (3a, 6a). They then seize the secondaries upper arm with their free arm, turn and kote uchi to the face, neck or chest to takedown. If the takedown fails, the primary may apply kote uchi with the other arm to the back of head and a drag takedown. Primary may seize secondaries ears or hair and strike their head on the ground.

7b Oyo (Haito uchi, haishu age uchi, koko kuzushi, awase zuki)

The primary has seized the secondaries wrist cross hand (3a, 6a). They then seize the secondaries upper arm with their free arm, turn and kote uchi to face, neck or chest to takedown. If the takedown fails, the primary may apply kote uchi with other arm to the back of head, then a neck crank takedown with the option of pressing the throat. Primary may seize secondaries ears or hair and strike their head on the ground.
- Style variation has primaries head bowed during haishu age-uchi which could be used as a choke from behind.

8a, 8b Oyo (Age empi, gedan-zuki, gedan barai)

The primary has attacked the secondaries elbow (5a). They then push forward using age empi to raise the secondaries arm further. Reaching low they seize the secondaries leg, pulling back and utilising gedan barai to takedown. Alternatively (after 5a), if the secondaries arm was too high to grab, push forward using age empi to raise the secondaries arm further. Reaching low they seize the secondaries leg, pulling back and utilising gedan barai to takedown.
- May also be utilised if the secondary seizes a double collar tie (5b)

9a Oyo (Empi-uchi, gedan barai)

The secondary has resisted the drag takedown (1a) by seizing the primary in a single collar tie. The primary presses up on the secondaries elbow (5a), but the secondary resists with downward force. The primary steps in (around the outside) and presses secondaries arm across, rolling in an elbow to the head. The primary then presses the arm down to clear the way for the head drag takedown (1a), or traps the secondaries arm in their armpit, opening the way for a leg hook takedown.
- May also be utilised if the secondary seizes a double collar tie (5b)

9b Henka (Empi-uchi, gedan barai)

The primary has seized the secondaries wrist cross hand (3a, 6a) and utilises shuto uke to transition to a single collar tie, but retains the grip on the secondaries wrist. Primary strikes with an elbow to the head and uses gedan barai to apply an arm-entanglement takedown.

10a, 10b Oyo (Awase-zuki, teisho awase-zuki)

The primary has a cross hand grip and is striking the secondaries head with seiken or teisho (3a, 6a). The secondary covers their head with their free hand. The primary seizes the covering hand and presses down, trapping the other arm and delivering further seiken or teisho strikes. Alternatively, the primary seizes the covering hand and performs an arm wheel takedown.

Notes and Disclaimers
Huge thanks to my good friends and training partners Stewart Squire, Rick Kay-Bowden and Mat Craigon. They contributed so much more than with thoughts, guidance, camera work and their bodies. These videos simply wouldn’t exist without them.

I feel it is important to give credit to those who I have borrowed from and been influenced by. The phrase ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’ has never been more relevant. Here are my most obvious sources:

- Street Fight Secrets

I watched this video a long time ago, and only much later randomly remembered it and noticed its relevance to the opening movements of Niseishi/Nijushiho. Full credit must go to the awesome Richard Grannon for this beautiful technique seen in 1a. Without it, I would have nothing but a handful of disconnected techniques.

- Iain’s Niseishi video

The wonderful Niseishi applications seen in Iain’s video here were the basis for bunkai 5a and 5b.

- Iain’s takedown video

While this may not have been intended as an application for Niseishi, I felt that it could be interpreted as such and it fit well with my overall kata strategy. Seen in 9a.

- Random Silat arm threading video

Thanks to Stewart Squire for pointing me in the direction of this video. The movements seemed very reminiscent of those found in 9b.

- Iain’s Niseishi seminar
I very recently attended a seminar of Iain’s on some of the applications of Niseishi. I was delighted to find that we had had some similar ideas for the bunkai, but also many different interpretations. I was hoping to get my bunkai released before the seminar, but only had time to film the first two thirds. I felt it better to wait and not to rush the work.

Thanks for watching. I sincerely hope you found the videos interesting and useful! As always, thoughts and comments are most welcome.

I've given up on this Kata, I've practiced it for years but apart from basic bunkai, nothing fell into place. Maybe this is because I have no Sensei to teach me the full Kata and bunkai. Its the same with Bassai. I have a friend to teach me Seipai Kata and a nice Bunkai to the 2 kata. Shame as I really enjoyed the Kata

Nice bunkai. I've only had time to watch the first video, but having seen that I can read through the others and see your relative positions.

I find it very nice how you've linked things to that opening sequence with redundancies throughout. It's very similar to my approach to Nijushiho/Niseishi which I posted a youtube link to here a while back, though my application of the opening movement was to the side as an arm control following a tackle defence (though it could easily have been apunch defence) and thus all my approaches were off line. I've actually included the opening movement and a few of the redundancies in one of my own kata - I like it that much!

I've not had a chance to watch Iain's Nijushiho video yet, but when all the links are embedded here I'll spend a happy hour looking at them together.

Hi Phil
Again thanks for putting up a great set of bunkai video's. I am in agreement with john as I also really like the way you link things together with a "keystone application" with the rest of your applications being alternative spokes off that inital hub. ( Just as you did with your interpretation of Empi kata ). In particular I think the approach you take provides a really nice narrative to a kata, which I think is probably close to how the inital katas were developed. Telling stories is a very human way of passing on information and I believe kata is just a physical facette of this behaviour.
Finding the keystone application and applying the narrative logic is something I try and do with my own interpretations. Keeping the keystone application as a simple, macro movement based on natural flinch responses I think is key and I certainly prefer you opening sequence of Nijushiho to your Empi one. Although that may be a result of my own lack of ability with the classic jujisu armbar/neck lock application you use for Empi.
So thanks again for keeping things interesting, I will be amusing myself (if not my training partners) playing with your various interpretations. If I get the time I will review each and give my feedback, for what its worth.
Cheers
Tom

Not had chance to view all the videos yet (just spent 30 mins embedding them all :-), but I really like this! It’s obvious a huge amount of work has gone into this and I like the structured way in which it is presented. An absolutely superb contribution to the collective knowledge base of our community and I’m sure I speak for everyone when I express my gratitude to you for making and sharing this!

I've given up on this Kata, I've practiced it for years but apart from basic bunkai, nothing fell into place. Maybe this is because I have no Sensei to teach me the full Kata and bunkai. Its the same with Bassai. I have a friend to teach me Seipai Kata and a nice Bunkai to the 2 kata. Shame as I really enjoyed the Kata

I'm sorry to hear that Black Tiger, as you can see, I believe the kata has a lot to offer us. I have no 'sensei' directly teaching me anymore either, but I don't believe that means your training has to suffer. In the internet age we can genuinely learn from all manner of sources, so long as you put the work in and experiment, test and train what you have learnt.

JWT wrote:

I find it very nice how you've linked things to that opening sequence with redundancies throughout. It's very similar to my approach to Nijushiho/Niseishi which I posted a youtube link to here a while back, though my application of the opening movement was to the side as an arm control following a tackle defence (though it could easily have been apunch defence) and thus all my approaches were off line. I've actually included the opening movement and a few of the redundancies in one of my own kata - I like it that much!

Thanks for the kind words John! I remember your video and enjoyed watching it. I've always found that particular way of manipulating the opponents arm into a kind of kimura position a bit difficult, but thats more down to my own lack of ability rather than a weakness in the technique.

Th0mas wrote:

Keeping the keystone application as a simple, macro movement based on natural flinch responses I think is key and I certainly prefer you opening sequence of Nijushiho to your Empi one. Although that may be a result of my own lack of ability with the classic jujisu armbar/neck lock application you use for Empi.

I completely agree with you on this one Th0mas. I think the Niseishi opening (and many of the other techniques) is superior to the Wanshu one. It's simple, direct and robust, and most definitely easier to apply than the gedan barai/age uchi one. Having said that, the Wanshu bunkai covered more of an edge case (clash of limbs or somehow aquiring wrist control), so the two katas may well be complementary as opposed to contradictory.

Th0mas wrote:

So thanks again for keeping things interesting, I will be amusing myself (if not my training partners) playing with your various interpretations. If I get the time I will review each and give my feedback, for what its worth.

You're very welcome, and thank you for your compliments and feedback! Please do let me know how you get on if you get a chance to experiment with the bunkai!

ky0han wrote:

kudos to you. Thats what I was talking about in my criticism in your Empi/Wanshu bunkai thread.

You put a lot of effort into your work especially with the flow chart. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you ky0han, that means a lot to me!

Iain Abernethy wrote:

Not had chance to view all the videos yet (just spent 30 mins embedding them all :-), but I really like this! It’s obvious a huge amount of work has gone into this and I like the structured way in which it is presented. An absolutely superb contribution to the collective knowledge base of our community and I’m sure I speak for everyone when I express my gratitude to you for making and sharing this!

Thank you very much Iain, I really appreciate your kind words! If you get a chance to watch the rest of the videos, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I feel quite bad that it takes so much of your time embedding videos. I wish there was a way for the user to do for you, but I know that that would be too risky for the security of the site.

Once again, thank you for hosting and maintaining this community. It's easy to forget how lucky we all are to be able to tap into this world class resource. For free no less!